Electronic postage meter system having internal accounting system and removable external accounting system

Abstract

A metering system includes means for printing postage value. First means are coupled to the printing means for accounting for value printed by the printing means. Second means are coupled to the printing means for accounting for value printed by said printing means. Means determine which of the first and the second accounting means accounts for value printed by said printing means. The system may be arranged where the first accounting means is a smart card chip mounted internal to the metering system and the second accounting means is an external smart card. When the system is operable only one accounting system is rendered operable with priority given to the external smart card.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A metering system comprising: means for printing postage value;   first means coupled to said printing means for accounting for value printed by said printing means; and   second means coupled to said printing means for accounting for value printed by said printing means; and   means for determining which of said first and said second accounting means accounts for value printed by said printing means.   
     
     
       2. A system as defined in claim 1 including a display, said display adapted to indicate to a user which of said first and said second accounting means is the active accounting means for accounting for value printed by said printing means. 
     
     
       3. A metering system as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and said second accounting means each generate digital tokens adopted to be printed by said printing means. 
     
     
       4. A metering system as defined in claim 3 wherein said first accounting means generates digital tokens containing identification data of said first accounting means and said second accounting means generates digital tokens containing identification data of said second accounting means. 
     
     
       5. A metering system as defined in claim 1 wherein said first accounting means is housed within a secure housing within said metering system. 
     
     
       6. A metering system as defined in claim 5 wherein said first accounting means is mounted detachably within said secure housing by a plug connector. 
     
     
       7. A metering system as defined in claim 1 wherein said second accounting means is removably coupled to said metering system. 
     
     
       8. A metering system as defined in claim 7 wherein said second accounting means removably coupled to said metering system is a smart card. 
     
     
       9. A metering system as defined in claim 7 wherein said second accounting means removably coupled to said metering system is one of a plurality of portable vault means and wherein said means for determining is adapted to process said plurality of second accounting means. 
     
     
       10. A metering system as defined in claim 7 wherein said second accounting means has a descending register for storing postal funds adapted to the printed by said metering system, said descending register having a predetermined recharging limit. 
     
     
       11. A system as defined in claim 7 comprising: said first accounting means having a descending register with a first predetermined fund storage limit, said second accounting means having a descending register with a second predetermined funds storage limit, said first accounting means funds storage limit being greater than said second accounting means funds storage limit.   
     
     
       12. A metering system as defined in claim 7 wherein including means for enabling detachable coupling of said second accounting means and for enabling detachable coupling portable data loading for loading data. 
     
     
       13. A metering system as defined in claim 12 wherein said portable data loading means contains ad slogan data. 
     
     
       14. A metering system as defined in claim 12 wherein said portable data loading means contains postal rate data. 
     
     
       15. A portable system as defined in claim 12 wherein said portable data loading means contains authorization code data. 
     
     
       16. A metering system comprising: means for printing postage value;   first means coupled to said printing means for accounting for value printed by said printing means; and   second means coupled to said printing means for accounting for value printed by said printing means;   means for determining which of said first and said second accounting means is the active accounting means for the metering system; and;   display means coupled to said first and said second accounting means, said display means adapted to display which of said first and said second accounting means is the active accounting means for the metering system.